The entry for cultivating immortality states that after dying a hundred times, I attained immortalit

On the sixth day, Jiang Bai arrived at the Crimson Swamp.

Looking around, the ground ahead was a blood-red color of varying shades, and bubbles were constantly rising and falling on the surface of the swamp.

Occasionally, one can see bright red toads lying on clods of mud, with venom glands on their backs and bulging eyes that gleam with a dark light.

This is the Blood Toad Swamp.

Jiang Bai hid behind a dead tree and used the [Shadow Stealth] skill to suppress his aura.

Three groups of people were already outside the swamp.

Eight people stood on the west side, all wearing the same blood-red short jackets with fang tattoos on their chests, looking ferocious. The leader was a one-eyed strong man whose Qi cultivation had reached the ninth level. He made no attempt to conceal his aura and was wiping a serrated bone knife, which was the weapon commonly used by Blood Fang Village.

The six people on the east side were dressed differently. Some looked like hunters carrying longbows and wearing leather armor; others were old men wrapped in dirty Taoist robes. They stood far apart from each other, their eyes flickering. They were obviously a group of wandering monks who had temporarily formed a companionship.

What Jiang Bai cared about most was the figure standing alone to the north.

The man was dressed in a black robe, completely covering his body from head to toe, his face hidden within. Only his hands, tucked into his sleeves, could be vaguely seen. He exuded an aura as chilling as still water in a deep pool. Blood toads roamed the surrounding swamp, yet not a single one dared to approach within three zhang of him.

The three parties stood in a tripod formation, each more than a hundred feet apart. No one spoke, but when their eyes occasionally met, their faces were filled with vigilance and calculation.

Jiang Bai listened quietly to the scattered conversations carried by the wind.

"We'll take action simultaneously at noon tomorrow, as agreed."

"That beast has two more days left to molt. Once its weakened state is over, no one will be able to benefit from it."

"Let me make this clear from the start: during the robbery, anyone who secretly schemes against their fellow robbers or tries to take advantage of them will become an enemy of everyone else." The last sentence was spoken by the one-eyed burly man, his voice hoarse like a millstone.

The man in black robes nodded slightly, and no one from the rogue cultivators objected.

An agreement?

Jiang Bai smiled.

In the world of cultivation, so-called agreements only hold true when they are broken. He didn't linger any longer, relying on the twilight and [Shadow Stealth], he quietly circled around to the depths of the swamp.

The closer you get to the center, the darker the color of the swamp becomes, almost dark red. The size of the blood toads also increases, and individuals in the mid-to-late stages of Qi Refining can be seen everywhere. Some blood toads have small openings in the tumors on their backs, from which thick, scarlet venom slowly oozes out.

Jiang Bai did not rely on his strength; he simply released the gray-black poisonous miasma emanating from his [Corpse Poison Body] into the air. The smell of this corpse poison was inherently incompatible with the blood poison deep in the swamp, so wherever he went, the blood toads avoided him, unwilling to be contaminated in the slightest.

After traveling about three miles, the ground ahead suddenly caved in, forming a sinkhole several dozen feet wide. The opening of the sinkhole was shrouded in a thick, blood-red poisonous mist. Amidst the churning mist, a cave entrance could be vaguely seen hidden at the bottom of the sinkhole.

This is the lair of the Blood Toad King.

Jiang Bai did not act rashly, but first used the [Snake and Python Sense] skill. Although the effect of this skill on toad-like creatures would be reduced by 50%, he could still vaguely sense the rich life force coming from below, as well as several weak but extremely fierce fluctuations.

"Twelve guards..."

He silently calculated in his mind, took a deep breath, and suddenly plummeted into the pit. The blood mist stung his skin like needles, but his [Poisonous Miasma Symbiosis] ability immediately activated, gradually transforming the invading blood poison into the power to restore his body. After falling three zhang (approximately 10 meters), Jiang Bai lightly touched a protruding rock with his toes, using the momentum to spring back up, his body drifting into the cave entrance like a withered leaf.

The cave is a naturally formed karst cave, and the stone walls have turned dark red due to the erosion of toxic gases over the years. Stalactites hang from the cave ceiling, and dripping water droplets fall into small pits on the ground, making a crisp "drip-drip" sound.

In the center of the cave, a huge creature lay crouching.

This Blood Toad King was the size of a calf, its entire body a deep crimson like congealed blood. Seven fist-sized venomous tumors bulged on its back, slowly trembling. It curled up, and tiny blood-red pebbles kept falling from the gaps in its skin—that was Blood Toad Sand.

It was clearly in the crucial stage of molting, and although its aura was at the Foundation Establishment level, it sounded somewhat weak. Hidden in the shadows were twelve smaller blood toads, each carrying three to five venomous tumors on its back, keeping a close eye on the king in the center while also remaining vigilant for any movement around them.

Jiang Bai, hidden in the shadows at the cave entrance, observed for a moment before making a plan. He suddenly deactivated [Shadow Stealth], revealing himself in the dim red light of the cave. The twelve guardian blood toads turned their heads almost simultaneously, their scarlet eyes locking onto this uninvited guest.

"Gurgle,"

The deep croaking of toads echoed through the cave.

Jiang Bai didn't retreat; instead, he took a step forward, propelling himself directly towards the outermost guarding blood toad. His right palm shimmered with a grayish-white poisonous light—it was the [Bone-Corroding Poison Hand] at full power—and he struck the tumor on the blood toad's back. The blood toad reacted swiftly, its hind legs kicking as it tried to leap, but Jiang Bai was faster. His palm swept past, instantly corroding the tumor's surface to grayish-white, splattering foul-smelling venom everywhere.

"Croak!"

The wounded guard let out a piercing scream, enraging the remaining eleven blood toads, who pounced on him. Jiang Bai turned and fled, his [Swift Shadow Step] suddenly unleashing its power, leaving a trail of afterimages in the cave. He didn't escape in a straight line, but rather sprinted along the edge of the cave, occasionally turning to unleash a wisp of grayish-white poisonous gas, driving the toad swarm even more frenzied. In just a few breaths, all twelve guards had been lured, followed by a swarm of crimson figures.

Just then, the Blood Toad King in the center opened its eyes. Its pupils were as large as bowls, with golden patterns flowing within its scarlet irises. Weakened from molting, it was already agitated. Sensing that its nest had been disturbed, it spat out a beam of blood-red light. The light transformed into an arrow as soon as it left its mouth, piercing the air silently yet with astonishing speed.

Jiang Bai seemed unable to dodge in time; his left shoulder trembled as a blood arrow pierced through his body! A sharp pain erupted, the potent poison on the arrow spreading rapidly along his meridians like raging fire. Jiang Bai groaned, his body swaying backward, kneeling on one knee. His [Poisonous Miasma Symbiosis] system activated frantically, attempting to neutralize the poison, but the Blood Toad King's toxicity was too strong; its neutralization speed couldn't keep up with its invasion. The skin on his left shoulder wound quickly turned black and rotted, crimson poisonous patterns spreading like a spiderweb towards his chest.

The twelve guardian blood toads pounced upon him. Sharp claws tore through the flesh on Jiang Bai's back, and venomous fangs snapped at his neck. He barely managed to roll over, wildly swinging his blood-soaked knife, severing the forelimbs of two blood toads, but more claws had already dug deep into his limbs, drawing blood.

Jiang Bai's consciousness gradually blurred, and blood appeared at the edges of his vision. He bit his tongue, barely retaining the last shred of consciousness, and with great effort, he reached into his robes with his left hand, retrieving a Thunderfire Talisman he had obtained from the Black Wind Secret Realm. This Xuan-rank Thunderfire Talisman was one he had treasured but never used. The surface of the talisman was interwoven with thunder and fire patterns, and it felt slightly hot to the touch.

He grinned, stuffed the Thunderfire Talisman into the mouth of the blood toad guarding his calf, and then infused it with spiritual power.

"boom!!!"

Blazing white lightning and crimson flames erupted in the cave! The explosion was imminent, and the three guardian blood toads were blown to pieces. The residual force of the lightning and fire slammed into the blood toad king, completely disrupting its already fragile molting process.

"Gooooo!!!"

The Blood Toad King let out a furious roar, and its massive body suddenly thrust upwards, swallowing Jiang Bai, who was lying on the edge of the explosion and whose body was charred black, directly into its belly!

The excruciating pain receded like a tide, replaced by an insidious feeling of corrosion and pressure.

Before Jiang Bai completely lost consciousness, he realized that he had fallen into a hot fleshy bag. The fleshy walls on all sides were constantly writhing, and nauseating stomach acid surged up.

The familiar void space arrived as scheduled.

[The thirteenth death, see the following entries]

Jiang Bai's lingering resentment swept over the three orbs of light in front of him:

[Blood Poison Resistance] (Blue): Under this condition, resistance to blood toxins is increased by 50%, and blood toxins can be gradually converted into spiritual power.

[Toad Venom Resonance] (Green): This skill can intimidate and control toad-like venomous beasts. The effect is related to the cultivator's cultivation level.

【Deadly Poison Explosion】(Purple) is an active skill that compresses half of one's own essence and blood and all of one's poison to launch a guaranteed fatal attack; after use, one's realm will decrease by one level and cannot be repaired for the next three months.

Without the slightest hesitation.

Choose one.

Blue light seeped into the space between the eyebrows.

The next moment, time reversed.

When Jiang Baisu woke up, he had already been swallowed into the mouth of the Blood Toad King. The smooth fleshy walls kept squeezing him, and hot gastric juices were about to pour out.

He immediately activated the newly acquired attribute: [Blood Poison Resistance]!

A cool sensation surged from his dantian, rapidly spreading throughout his body's muscles and bones. The blood poison that had almost burned away his meridians seemed to have met its nemesis; its expansion rate slowed significantly, and it was even slowly decomposed and transformed by this cool power.

The gastric juices flowed down, soaking his clothes and making a hissing sound when they touched his skin, but unlike last time, they did not instantly expose his muscles and bones; Jiang Baineng could feel the stinging sensation on his skin, but it was still within his tolerance range.

He pulled out the bloodied knife with a backhand motion.

The blade hummed and vibrated through the flesh and blood, its thirst for blood emanating from the hilt.

"Want some?" Jiang Bai chuckled. "Then you can eat your fill."

He gripped the knife with both hands, channeled his spiritual power, and stabbed it fiercely into the fleshy wall beside him!

"Pfft!"

The blade pierced deep into the flesh, causing dark red blood to gush out. The Blood Toad King's body churned violently from the burning pain of the thunder and fire explosion, and its internal organs were severely injured again. It immediately let out a deafening shriek, and its whole body writhed violently.

Jiang Bai felt as if he were in a raging storm, his body swaying from side to side. He gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, used his feet to push against the fleshy walls for leverage, and then pulled it sharply to the side.

"Rip!"

A nearly three-foot-long gash was forcibly cut open!

The sunlight from outside was mixed with a strong smell of blood.

Without hesitation, Jiang Bai bent down and crawled into the crevice. His body was covered in sticky blood and gastric juice, and the wound on his left shoulder was still bleeding, but his expression was unusually calm.

He stepped onto the cave floor, then with his right hand scooped up a handful of blood toad sand that was about to fall off from the Blood Toad King's wound. The sand was heavy and hot to the touch, and a faint blood-red light could be seen flowing through it.

Almost simultaneously, three groups of people rushed into the cave from three directions: the one-eyed strongman from Bloodtooth Village, the bow-wielding hunter from the Loose Cultivator Alliance, and a black-robed man who remained silent throughout.

The three parties were clearly drawn by the explosion and the roar of the Blood Toad King, and now they looked into the cave: the Blood Toad King was writhing in pain, blood flowing freely from the wound on its lower abdomen; a young man in a black robe covered in blood held a broken knife and a piece of sand that gleamed with a dark red light in his palm.

The atmosphere froze instantly.

The one-eyed burly man grinned maliciously and said, "Kid, put down the sand, and I'll leave you with a whole corpse."

The hunter with the bow on his back had a glint in his eye, and his longbow was already nocked an arrow.

Although the man in black robes did not speak, a faint black aura swirled from his sleeves.

Jiang Bai looked around, then smiled: "Do you know why this Blood Toad King suddenly went mad?"

The one-eyed burly man was taken aback.

Before anyone could react, Jiang Bai suddenly threw the remaining blood toad sand in his palm into the air!

Sand particles swirled, transforming into a blood-red mist in the dim light of the cave. He activated his [Corpse Poison Body], forcing out the remaining Blood Toad King's poisonous blood from his body, which mixed with the gray-black corpse poison miasma and was expelled in its entirety.

A red and black toxic fog immediately spread out, obscuring vision and emitting a nauseating, putrid stench.

"Watch out for the poisonous fog!"

"Hold your breath!"

Jiang Bai used the [Swift Shadow Step] and his figure shot off like an arrow towards the weakest group of the Loose Cultivator Alliance. The six people there were all harboring their own secrets, and their formation was loose and vulnerable.

In the thick poisonous fog, the hunter with his bow caught sight of a dark figure rushing towards him and instinctively released an arrow. The arrow pierced the fog but missed its mark. Jiang Bai abruptly crouched down to dodge, his bloodied blade flashing upwards and to the side, the tip precisely slicing across the hunter's throat, splattering blood everywhere. Without pausing, a flash of grayish-white light appeared on his left palm, which slammed heavily onto the chest of the sword-wielding rogue cultivator beside him. The man's protective aura shattered after only a moment, his chest rapidly darkening and withering, and he swayed backwards.

The breach had been opened. Without pausing for a moment, Jiang Bai burst through the poisonous fog and rushed out of the cave. After a few leaps, he disappeared into the red mist deep within the swamp. Behind him came the Blood Toad King's mournful screams before its death, along with the near-mad curses and sounds of battle from the three forces.

Ten miles away, in a dry, earthen hollow, Jiang Bai slumped to the ground, breathing heavily. He took out a jade box from his robes and carefully placed the remaining blood toad sand inside. The sand weighed about two ounces, and the grains at the bottom of the box were emitting a faint, dark red glow.

A familiar throbbing sensation came from the poisonous markings on his right arm. He placed the jade box on it, and the Blood Toad Sand slowly melted, seeping into his skin. Dark red patterns gradually spread beyond the original gray-white, dark green, and multicolored patterns, spreading like branches of blood vessels, exuding a chilling and dangerous aura.

Poisonous Pattern Rebirth Progress: 60%.

Three ingredients are still missing.

Jiang Bai opened the jade box, tore open the tattered robe on his left shoulder, and the black aura around the wound was suppressed by [Blood Poison Resistance] and slowly dissipated. He swallowed two healing pills and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

The sounds of fighting deep in the swamp gradually subsided, and it was unknown who ultimately obtained the Blood Toad Sand.

But that's no longer relevant to him.